Tag Archives: Isaac Mizrahi: An Unruly History

Isaac Mizrahi: An Unruly History is the first museum exhibition to focus on the influential American fashion designer, artist, and entrepreneur. On view through August 7, the exhibition explores Isaac Mizrahi’s unique position at the intersection of high style and popular culture. While best known for his clothing designs, Mizrahi’s creativity has expanded over a nearly three decade career to embrace acting, directing, set and costume design, writing, and cabaret performance. Spanning his first collection in 1988 to the present day,An Unruly Historyweaves together the many threads of his prolific career, juxtaposing work in fashion, film, television, and the performing arts.

When you first enter the exhibit, you see a wall that looks like tiles or some type of mosaic but when you get closer, it is actually hundreds of swatches!

It is Isaac’s mastery of color that I love the most. The work in the exhibit is from the 1980’s through current day.

“Color is the biggest luxury there is. It affects you on a deep, emotional level that most people don’t think about. It you get the color right, you have the whole thing. If you get it wrong, it becomes a big distraction.” — Isaac Mizrahi

“I love sketching. That was my favorite part of making clothes—and it was also the most horrible part. But once I got into it, I was gone. You couldn’t talk to me. I was just lost in the bliss of making drawings.” — Isaac Mizrahi

These designs were for theater and movies, he makes costumes quite well!

A video installation showcasing footage from Isaac Mizrahi’s work in fashion, film and television, where you see the great supermodels Linda Evangelista and Christy Burlington walking the catwalk in his designs.

Isaac Mizrahi with models at the showing of his 1997 spring collection. Photograph by Bebeto Matthews, image provided by AP Images

This exhibit most certainly made me appreciate him as a designer as the depth of his work was quite impressive.

If you are in New York City anytime between now and August 7, do try to visit this fabulous exhibit. You will love it! The museum is located on 5th Avenue at 92nd Street.

Installation photos by Will Ragozzino/SocialShutterbug.com. All images courtesy The Jewish Museum.